


High as a Kite (Caught in a Tree)

by Indig0



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Ralph deviates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28491954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indig0/pseuds/Indig0
Summary: While wandering the streets high, Leo watches five huge guys beating up a smaller guy.  And decides to intervene.Even though it's an android.  And he hates androids.This one's okay, though.  In fact, this one is pretty kickass.
Relationships: Leo Manfred & Ralph
Comments: 8
Kudos: 41





	High as a Kite (Caught in a Tree)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fiveofswords](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveofswords/gifts), [Extra_Standard_Deviation](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Extra_Standard_Deviation/gifts).



Leo wandered down the street, stumbling a little now and then, but this batch of Ice was the good stuff. It felt like he was floating, like there was a string holding him upright, keeping him from falling. He laughed at that image. Where even was he? He didn’t know this part of town, and there was a movie theater down the street. A movie theater, really? Did those things even exist anymore? Was it still open? Actually, sitting in a big dark room and watching a movie sounded so awesome right now. Just floating away into the story...

He pulled at the door a few times, then tried pushing, then pulled really hard again. It was locked. And dark inside, he realized. It was closed. Maybe for good. Probably because of androids, everybody said the city went to shit because of androids. He kicked the door and hissed in pain.

There was a shout from across the street and he turned in time to see a slight figure running across the street. He shuffled awkwardly past the glass doors and watched a few guys chasing after a smaller guy. He must owe them money...

“No!” the smaller one shouted. “P-please, I only take care of the plants in the park!”

“My dad lost his job one fucking year before he hit retirement because of shitty androids like you!” a man growled. “I had twelve years under my belt when androids took my job!” He hurled a brick at the android, who cringed away.

“Nnnn, j-just... Rrrr... I... I have to... clean out the sprinkler system,” the android whimpered.

Two of the men grabbed his arms, and another pulled something out of his coat. Leo drifted closer, squinting. Was it a gun? Or a club or something?

Leo had never really been part of the hardcore anti-android crowd. He’d always kind of felt the same way, but he wasn’t about to go to a protest or something. Or... whatever this was. And like, he’d always thought if it came up, he could rip one of those metal fuckers apart. He deserved it more than anybody else. It sucked to lose your job to a robot, but he lost his fucking family to one, so fuck them.

But... it sounded... scared. Like it was really hurting. Like he was... a real person and... shit.

While Leo was zoning out, the men held the android against the wall and they - that thing they had was like... glowing. Was it some kind of torch? Oh shit, the guy’s face was burning off and he was screaming and -

“Get the fuck off him!” Leo roared, barreling into the group. He was scrawny and not too strong, but he had surprise on his side and was too high to feel much and he managed to grab the torch and shove it right into the biggest guy’s elbow.

“Get out of here!” Leo shouted, beating and ripping and kicking and clawing at the men. The android yanked away with a scream and took off down the street, limping but moving fast. Leaving Leo facing... five huge guys who were mad as hell. One of whom he’d just burned in the arm.

Leo was high, but not that high. He turned and ran the other way. Unfortunately he’d never been the fastest runner, and he was still high enough that it slowed him down. He tripped on the curb, and was somehow relieved to be falling to the pavement before he was caught. It made sense to him that if he fell on his face, that wound save him from the beating that was coming. So it seemed unfair when he was yanked up again and punched in the ribs. He wasn’t a fighter any more than he was a runner. Wasn’t really good at anything. Which fucking sucked, honestly.

He tried, though. Tried to hit back with uncoordinated punches, tried to kick, pull away, run, gouge out the fucker’s eyes...

While he was getting his ass kicked, sobbing and getting blood in his mouth, Leo suddenly realized there were only three guys beating him up now.

...And then two.

And then he saw the android grab one of the remaining guys and yank him back by the neck. The other guy turned to punch the android, and Leo managed to pull himself together enough to grab the guy’s foot. He got kicked, but it distracted the guy long enough for the android to bring him down. Leo whimpered and slowly sat up to find all five attackers lying on the ground groaning.

The android was hunched up with one hand covering the left side of his face and the other hugging himself. He was heaving for breath, staring at the fallen men, trembling so hard...

“Hey,” Leo rasped. “That was... the most... badass shit I ever saw.”

The android flinched and curled in tighter. “Sorry, s-sorry, I... R-Ralph - I... was just... trying to work...”

“Yeah, I... I guess... no, listen, that was fucking amazing, man. You okay?”

The android stared at him. His right eye was wide and twitching, and his light circle was flashing red. His left eye was dark, but glowing blue.

One of the guys on the ground moaned and started pulling himself up.

“Shit, we gotta get out of here.” Leo struggled to his feet, hissing in pain. “Fuck. Shit, it hurts, I think I broke everything.”

The android shuddered.

“C’mon,” Leo muttered, limping away as fast as he could. The android paused, then followed him at a distance. “I know a place, I go there sometimes. It’s pretty safe. Good place to sleep or ride out a bad trip. Usually nobody else there.”

“Why?” the android breathed, his voice catching.

“Shit man, you saved my fucking life and took down five monster assholes pretty much on your own! I mean I helped some. But like... wow.”

“Ralph didn’t want to hurt anybody...”

“Who’s Ralph?”

The android got quiet, hugging himself. Leo continued stumbling down the street for a minute.

“...Wait, you said that before too. Shit, is that you? Ralph?”

“Mm,” Ralph grunted softly.

“I’m Leo. Uh - hold on.” He stopped, looking up and down the cross street they’d come to. He squinted up at the street sign. And then he realized the neon lights from the store down the street were really pretty.

...Then his head started hurting again, and he realized Ralph was watching him.

“Oh. Uh. It’s... I just never come this way, hold on. Um... this way.” He turned left and kept moving. Ralph followed haltingly. “Fuck, everything hurts. Can you walk with a broken leg? Do you think I broke my leg?”

“Ralph doesn’t know,” the android mumbled.

“Me neither. Hurts like fuck, though. Oh!” Ralph jumped when Leo shouted and pointed. “Right there! Come on.”

They scurried up to a fence covered in a tarp. Ralph watched Leo pull at the fence in all kinds of random places before creeping up to it.

“U-um. Um. Here?” He lifted up the bottom of the fence.

A smile broke over Leo’s face. “There it is! Shit, you’re strong as fuck and you’re a fucking genius!” He ducked under the fence, toppling over and crawling most of the way while Ralph stared at him in disbelief. “Seriously, are all androids that strong?”

“N-no,” Ralph whispered. “No, but... Ralph was... made to work in gardens or... or with trash. So Ralph can pick up... logs and rocks and big bags and refrigerators and... stuff.”

“You’re the coolest fucker I ever met,” Leo muttered. “Seriously.”

There was a small spark in Ralph’s bad eye. He stared at Leo, inhaling very slowly. “R-Ralph is... cool?” he breathed.

“Fuck yeah. Okay, so the door sticks but it’s open. Doesn’t lock. You can make a fire in the fireplace but don’t make it too big or all the smoke comes inside. Uh... the water doesn’t work. There’s a mattress upstairs, and some clothes unless somebody took ‘em. ...But it’s real safe here, I promise.”

“Safe?” Ralph whispered. “Ralph can... stay here?”

“Yeah, I mean nobody’s gonna bother you here. I only had somebody come by like once or twice, and I’m here all the time.”

“D-do... you... stay here? Leo?” Ralph asked timidly, eyes darting around.

“Sometimes. For sure tonight, I’m not going back to my dad’s house right now,” Leo scoffed, sprawling in a chair. 

Ralph perched lightly in another chair, watching Leo closely. After a moment he scooted a little closer.

“Shit, you ever had like... the best high... like ever, and then... it’s just like... gone?” Leo scrunched up his face and rubbed his head.

Ralph shook his head, wide-eyed.

“It fucking sucks. Feels like I just got beat up by ten guys.”

“Five,” Ralph reminded him.

Leo blinked. “Oh. Fuck. I, um... yeah, it’s... it’s hitting me pretty hard right now. Uh.” He swayed in his seat.”

“Mm, Leo looks not good,” Ralph muttered. “M-maybe... rest? Um. On the floor?”

“Yeah.” Leo tried to pull himself up from the chair and failed twice before Ralph came over and gingerly pulled him up by the arm... then grabbed his shoulder to steady him, and then his waist when he crumpled. “Shit, I’m fucked up.”

“H-here.” Ralph helped him to the floor and found a stained blanket to pull over him. “Here, rest here. Just... sleep and feel better, like a recharge, like a reset. All better.”

“Yeah. Yeah that’s... that’ll help. Yeah, thanks Ralph,” Leo mumbled, head lolling to the side as his eyes fluttered closed. “Better already. You’re the best.”

“Mm,” Ralph hummed nervously.

“I mean it, you’re... I gotta be honest, you’re... I don’t... I don’t like androids. But you’re like... you’re great.”

Ralph was quiet for a long time, and Leo almost fell asleep. “Ralph... doesn’t like humans. But Leo... Leo is good too.” He patted Leo’s head awkwardly and smiled for the first time. “Leo is a good human, a good... friend.”

Leo squeezed his eyes shut, failing to hold back tears. They spilled over anyway. “Shit, Ralph, you’re good too.”


End file.
